Jorge Sampaoli returns as Sevilla boss
Sevilla reunited with an old flame in Jorge Sampaoli. The Argentine began his second stint as the club’s manager just a day after they sacked Julen Lopetegui, hoping to turn around their fortunes as they are in the middle of a relegation dogfight.
“Don Sampa” returned to the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán five years since his last match with the Palanganas. In between, he traveled extensively in both South America and Europe, adding more entries in his already colorful coaching CV.
He signed a deal that will run until 2024.
The diminutive yet flamboyant Sampaoli first made his name in Peru, where he managed the likes of Sport Boys, Sporting Cristal, and Juan Aurich. He moved to Chile with O’Higgins in 2008.
After a detour with Ecuador’s Emelec, he returned to Chile with Universidad de Chile. He won three league titles (two Aperturas and a Clausura), as well as the 2011 Copa Sudamericana, with Los Azules.
These accolades took him to managing the Chilean men’s national team, where La Roja returned to the energetic high-pressing football inspired by Sampaoli’s mentor, Marcelo Bielsa.
With the likes of Claudio Bravo, Alexis Sánchez, and Arturo Vidal, Chile made it to the last 16 of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil under his spell, falling to the hosts on penalties. A year later, they won their maiden Copa América on home soil, defeating Sampaoli’s native Argentina via penalties.
Sampaoli made his European debut in 2016 with Sevilla. He succeeded Unai Emery, who went to Paris Saint-Germain after delivering the Andalusians their three-peat at the UEFA Europa League. Under Sampaoli, the Sevillistas finished fourth at LaLiga.
Afterwards, he returned to his native Argentina to coach the national team. He then moved to Brazil to manage Santos and Atlético Mineiro. He returned to Europe last year, this time with Ligue 1 side Marseille.
